Be a part of major town arts project

Last year Harborough District Council was successful in being awarded a £15,000 grant from the Arts Council England for the commissioning of a new piece of artwork celebrating The Symington Building’s past, present and future. 

Following a widely-published brief, 30 artists from across the UK expressed an interest, from which three finalists were selected. 

During March, the finalists' proposals went on public display within The Symington Building in Market Harborough, and online, for people to nominate their favourite. 

Following feedback from the community, Anne Schwegmann-Fielding – a mosaic specialist from Colchester – has been awarded the commission to design and make mosaic corsets, to reflect the heritage of the former corset factory. 

The council is now inviting residents in the district to help support the art project - entitled 'Swedish Maidens' (after the device used to help shape corsets during production) - by donating unwanted items of crockery with different patterns/colours from a range of different eras.  It could be a single plate, cup or saucer or a whole set. 

Cracked and chipped crockery is also fine and if there is a Symington story connected with the crockery, all the better.  Broken jewellery, old coins and tokens are also required.

Donation boxes for crockery will be located in Harborough Market, in Northampton Road, or in the Library located in The Symington Building.  An example of the artwork can be viewed in the council’s customer services area of The Symington Building.

Old photos of the factory and its workers, either inside the building or outside, are also needed.  These photos could be of people working or involved in the social activities linked to the factory.

All photos will be scanned and return to owners.

Anne said: “I am delighted to get this commission and really looking forward to involving the community. I hope the donations of crockery and photos will add to the richness of the piece and be like different pieces of a jigsaw coming together as a whole.”

Donations are needed before 15 June 2014.

If you would like to meet with Anne Schwegmann-Fielding, view her work, or make a donation, she will be at Harborough Market on Tuesday 6 May and Tuesday 13 May from 10am to 3pm.

Anne’s art submission can be viewed on the Council’s website at www.harborough.gov.uk/artcommission and also see some of Anne’s work on her website http://www.anneschwegmann-fielding.com/